Archive for September, 2007

Fragmentation of old growth forests in the southeastern US and Texas, prime ivory billed woodpecker habitat, may have contributed to the species’ “extinction.” Yet, reports in 2005 said that after nearly 60 years in oblivion, the woodpecker had been rediscovered in Arkansas.

We’ve been getting a lot of calls since that announcement in oh-five, from people in east Texas that are wondering why there’s all this hoopla over ivory bills, because they’ve had them in their yard for years.

Cliff Shackelford is a non-game ornithologist with Parks and Wildlife. While the ivory billed woodpecker is the largest woodpecker north of Mexico…

We didn’t do a very good job telling people there are two big woodpeckers. And the other one is a common bird in the eastern third of Texas, and that is the pileated Woodpecker.

That’s the bird people have spotted, said Shackleford. It’s an easy mistake to make, too, as the woodpeckers are similar in size and appearance.

They’re black, white and they have some red on them. But the big difference between the two, when they’re perched on the tree, the ivory billed has a white backpack. So, the folded wings give it the look like it’s carrying a white backpack. Whereas in the pileated, there’s no white. It’s just continuously dark on the back.

Log onto passporttotexas.org for links to more information about the ivory billed woodpecker, and what to do if you think you’ve seen one.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Back in April 2005 a national announcement proclaimed the Ivory-billed woodpecker, considered extinct, had been re-discovered in an area in Arkansas known as the Big Woods.

And it was definitely the most exciting news that anyone can remember in the birding circles.

Cliff Shackelford is a non-game ornithologist with Parks and Wildlife.

There have been a lot of skeptics that have seen the documentation – it’s a little fuzzy – but there have been lots of people going back to the site, and have had glimpses. But no one’s been able to secure that really golden shot of the bird.

A team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ivory-Billed Woodpecker research project has a team on the ground in Arkansas looking for this elusive bird.

The exciting thing is that this bird possibly has survived after sixty years of not being detected in the US; and the last sighting of the Ivory Billed Woodpecker in Texas was in November 1904. So, it’s been a long time since that bird has been in Texas. It occurred in the eastern third of the state, roughly, in mature river-bottom habitat.

Many east Texans claim to have seen Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers, but tomorrow we discuss a case of mistaken identity.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Boys and girl with an interest in hunting who don’t have a family member who hunts, can participate in Texas’ youth hunting program.

We offer a Texas youth hunting program through Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Wildlife Association.

Heidi Rao is a hunter education coordinator from Dickenson.

This is a program that offers youth hunting opportunities to those of the ages between nine and seventeen. They go through the hunter education course, and then they have opportunities to go on a variety of youth hunts that are guided by trained hunt masters.

With the proper training, even young hunters can become volunteer hunter education instructors.

We have an assistant hunter education instructor program for those who are between the ages fifteen and twenty. They have to go through the same requirements as a full instructor, such as the student course, the game warden interview, and the instructor course. The only other requirement that we have is that our assistant instructors has to team teach with a full instructor, who’s at least twenty-one years of age. When that assistant turns twenty-one, if they are still active, we will roll them over, and they will become a full instructor.
Learn more at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…supported by a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…working to increase shooting, hunting, fishing and boating opportunities in Texas.

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

There’s really nothing like carving out time that’s just for you. It’s when you can sit back and relax in your favorite chair, with the beverage of your choice, and take in the interesting and informative stories you find on the pages of Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine.

This month, Managing Editor, Louie Bond, tells us about two articles in the October issue that are sure to please.

Well, in our October issue, John Jefferson is going to focus on the Texas Big Game Awards. For the past sixteen years, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Wildlife Association have teamed up, and they’re recognizing the top deer and antelope taken each region. But, what’s really unique about these awards is that they honor the rancher, not the hunter. So, they encourage proper habitat management. And this benefits not only white-tailed deer, but all the wildlife in Texas.

But, I have to confess, my curiosity was most piqued by Dan Klepper’s story I the October issue, “How to Milk a Porcupine.” I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll just say – don’t try this at home, kids.

State Parks Director Walt Dabney will be the first to say:
Our department slogan that Life’s Better Outside is really right on. You gotta get outside to really keep your mind right, I think.

Your chance to get outside, get your mind right, and sample a variety of outdoor activities happens during the 16th Parks and Wildlife Expo.

Expo is held the first weekend in October – Saturday and Sunday – open nine to five and it’s free.

Ernie Gammage is Expo Director. He says a new feature this year is a family camping area.

Camping – especially with your family – is just about one of the most fun things you can do, because it’s something you can do together. You can put up your tent together, you can cook together. You can make s’mores, by gosh, you’ve gotta have s’mores. And how are we going to encourage this during Expo? We have never had a specific family camping site at Expo, but we are going to have this year. And one of the things this year, we’re going to talk about how to set up a family camp site; activities that you can do during the day….after dark. How to set up a tent, how to cook meals to take, and how to make that experience really the best for you and your family.

Learn about camping at Expo, October 6 & 7, at TPWD HQ in Austin. Bring the family, but leave your doggie at home. Find links to Expo at passporttotexas.org.